But now, I want to talk about being on the other side of the mentoring equation – the receiving side of mentoring. Many of you may be asking questions such as: Do I need a mentor as a junior force member? What if I’m a seasoned journeyman or even a supervisor? What if I’ve achieved my career goals and reached my desired grade level? Do I still need a mentor?
I know that many in early-to-mid career positions do not take advantage of mentoring. Finding the right mentor, building a relationship, and establishing a regular battle rhythm to discuss personal and professional goals is one of the most positive things you can do for your career.
Graduating college as an electrical engineer a few decades ago, the last place I expected to end up was working for the Air Force, performing design work for aircraft modifications. But that’s what happened, and I really thought I was prepared to perform this mission for the first eight years of my career.
My education and subsequent on-the-job training provided me with the necessary tools, but did nothing to help me navigate the Air Force process on how to achieve my future career goals. This gap was filled with formal and informal mentoring.
Senior leaders, first-line supervisors, peers and subordinates all became an important part of mentoring me, helping me establish goals and a future path. This didn’t come without challenges – once I received advice, I was responsible for taking control by following through on mentor recommendations.
A more difficult scenario came in the mid-1990s as the Air Force decided to move the aircraft-modification mission to Edwards Air Force Base, California, and my position was surplused. As a result, I was transferred to civil engineering to begin anew in the area of facility-maintenance engineering. I again had to reach out to mentors to guide me on what I needed to thrive in this new environment.
Over the next six years, I spent time tracking the recommendations of my mentors, including pursuing professional licensure, a master’s degree, professional military education and civilian developmental education, while at the same time making sure my job performance was the best it could be. I worked hard to be that “go-to” person to ensure leadership valued my work ethic and quality of the products I delivered.
The goal-setting and mentoring proved to be effective. Reaching GS-15 was a stretch goal for me, but I was able to attain it with the unique focus and insight that mentoring provided. I have been fortunate throughout my career to have great mentors. Without mentoring, I would have randomly navigated through my career and not known what opportunities to pursue.
Again, mentoring can be formal or informal. It can be done over a favorite beverage in a casual setting, in the boss’s office or in cyberspace via MyVector. There are not any specific or optimal number of mentors or grade levels.
Seek mentorship from superiors, peers and subordinates. Some of my most valuable mentoring has come from professional craftsmen who work hard every day to make Wright-Patterson a great installation. From them, I learned that everyone deserves respect, everyone brings talents to the table and collaboration is critical to success. It’s not all about getting that next promotion – it may be about getting advice from a wingman who’s been there and experienced what you are going through.
Keep in mind that mentoring is just one part of managing your career. It is also important to be aware of what is valuable for your particular career field. Reach out to your functional career field managers to get information on those requirements.
Think of your mentors, along with their professional-development recommendations, as complementary pieces of the equation that together help you grow both personally and professionally. You must take the recommendations given to you, decide which ones to pursue and then take action.
Another area to evaluate for professional growth is taking a look at how you present yourself to others. A well-constructed resume demonstrates you are qualified for that next opportunity. Interviews also set you apart from your peers. Utilize your mentor relationships to hone your resume and improve your interview skills.
I challenge you take that first step – find a mentor, set up a video conference or lunch meeting, and investigate the right goals and career path to attain your dreams.
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